Now in its 16th year, UK Games Expo has continued to grow, from it’s early days at the Clarendon Suites in Birmingham from 2007 to 2012 to the Hilton Birmingham Metropole and by 2016 the NEC, where it continues to evolve. Bringing together tabletop gaming, roleplay, traders, tournaments and more, 1200 people attended that first 2007 event, while 2019 saw the highest attendance for the Expo with over 45,000 gamers swarming to the NEC. This year welcomed 39,500 visit the show, impressive numbers as this and other events continue to rebound after the pandemic.
It’s the premiere UK gaming event, and with the popularity of gaming getting bigger and bigger, Fantha Tracks had to have feet on the ground at the show and our friends Sarah, Jenni, Beth and Charlie were there to walks the halls and snap away, allowing us a look at gaming from the galaxy far, far away.
The Star Wars X-Wing Regional Championship was a two-day event that took place on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th June at UKGE, along with Regional Championship events for Legion and Armada. There were fan run games as well, including X Wing Squadron FATE: Hoth Exodus.
Star Wars Shatterpoint from Atomic Mass Games was a feature of the show, with AMG showcasing the game mechanics on the Sunday morning and giving prospective buyers a chance to see just what’s included in the freshly released game.
The expandable game system Star Wars Rivals from Funko Games was also there, blending playability with collectorbility in the classic Funko style. Starting with the basic 2-player starter set, there are Light Side and Dark Side character booster packs, and the demos that ran for the whole weekend were continually busy.
The ever-popular Star Wars Armada was represented with the UK’s first Star Wars Armada Regional Championship on Friday and Saturday, with 40 competitors duking it out under Standard Game rules to see who could command their fleet the best. Friday saw Swiss rounds, while Saturday delivered Top Cut and Side events.
Stay tuned for all Star Wars related gaming news (be it tabletop, miniature, RPG or computer) here on Fantha Tracks, and watch for the build up to the next UK Games Expo which takes place at the NEC from Friday 31st May – Sunday 2nd June 2024.
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